Finding A Place
by Fafsernir
Summary: [AU] "Do you want to work for me?" His life wasn't exciting, he had no one to go home to, not even friends to spend a good time with. It was just him. And his cat. So maybe he could be crazy once in his life and accept the offer. (currently on hiatus, I have a few more chapters but will wait to see if I can finish the storyline that is opening next chapter before posting)
1. Chapter 1

_Okay, yes, another AU, I can't seem to stop, but... well you won't blame me, will you?_

 _It'll be a rather quick beginning to set a few things, and I must admit the two first chapters are just some scenes I wanted to write. The idea comes from a friend, when we watched Season 3 she saw Jack-Rhys-Ianto-Gwen stealing from people and told me to write an AU where that would be their lives. So here I am. Posting while I only have a couple of chapters, just to motivate me to write more ;) I hope you'll enjoy this!_

* * *

Ianto cursed as he ran into a street with no exit, looking back to check where the man was behind him. Too close to change his road, clearly. Ianto didn't slow down and ran even faster, evaluating the wall blocking the street. He could make it. Maybe.

As he was about to jump, someone grabbed the bag he was wearing and pulled. Ianto stumbled backward on a few steps but the man holding him helped him on his feet, taking his collar between his hand to shout at his face.

"You fucking thief! You're dead!"

Ianto swallowed hard, looking around to find a solution, but he was tired and the man seemed less out of breath than him, so running in the opposite way - back to another street - was risky, but running in the way he was facing – the wall – was impossible. And he still had to find a way to get away from the man still yelling at his face. Ianto finally looked at him in the eye and smiled, which shut the man's mouth.

"What's so fu-"

Ianto surged forward, headbutting the man violently, and ignored the pain in his forehead, pushing him away to run to the wall. He jumped as high as he could and prayed, catching the edge of the bricks. He lost no time and put an arm on it, then balanced his body on the top, lying on the wall, out of breath. He grinned down at the man and rolled on the other side, landing more or less on his feet on a bin. He petted a cat who was looking at him weirdly and smiled for himself, glad to be getting away, especially because he could hear the man shouting and trying to climb the wall.

He patted the cat on the head one last time and ran again, having caught up his breath and knowing he still had to get as far away as he could to avoid any trouble. He felt the bag bouncing against his hip as he ran, and he wondered what was inside as he chose to take it to run more freely.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack looked around, scanning the street to see who stood out as an easy target. He smiled as his eyes rested on a young man who seemed in a hurry.

"Excuse me," Jack said, putting his hand on the man's arm to catch his attention while he tried to search for something valuable with his other hand. "Do you know how to get to the Roald Dahl Plass?"

"Mh?" The other man said, looking at him. He put his hand on Jack's. "Yes, I'm going there," he answered, taking Jack's hand away from his arm.

Jack almost dismissed the guy, but he already had his wallet, maybe he could find something else to steal.

"I'm surprised you're asking, especially because it's not far," the man frowned, walking with Jack besides him. "Careful," he added quickly, grabbing Jack's coat to pull him away from the road he was about to cross.

Jack looked around, but saw no car. "What?" he asked, looking at the man.

"Sorry, thought I saw a bike. A friend got hit once, I'm kinda paranoid I guess," he chuckled.

Jack laughed, a bit awkwardly, and kept walking. He briefly wondered if he could just snatch the bag the man was carrying and run, but he looked rather young and probably would be able to catch up. He simply walked in the end, enjoying the man's features and telling himself that a few minutes wouldn't kill him. He was just planning on going home after anyway.

"Thanks," he said when they walked in the Plass.

"You're welcome," the man answered and presented his hand.

Jack frowned and stared at him and his cute smile then shrugged and shook his hand anyway.

"Doing anything later?" the man suddenly asked.

Jack stared again, still shaking his hand. He wondered if he could. He was maybe a bit young, but he looked mature – not that it mattered a lot anyway – and physically fitted Jack's taste. Not that Jack had any fixed taste or style. He liked pretty much everything and anyone, but that man still looked handsome. He considered the offer, then told himself that he couldn't easily put back the wallet he had stolen before they could go for a drink.

"Huh..." he eventually said, then cleared his throat, letting go of the man's hand. "I'd love to, really, but I'm kind of in a hurry," he shook his head, checking his watch to prove his point.

Except that he didn't have any watch.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.

"Looking for this?" the man said and Jack swallowed as he saw his watch in his hand.

"Huh... okay. Nice trick. Let's say I don't call the police but you give it back to me."

"Or," the man grinned. "I keep it."

"You can't-" Jack started then grunted. He was in no position to argue, not with the man's wallet in his coat's pocket. "Fine, keep it, you probably need it more than me."

And it was a fake, and stolen, so Jack didn't care.

"Why are you proudly showing me this though?"

The man shrugged and took a stopwatch out of his pocket.

"Oh I should go, I guess," he said.

Jack stared at the stopwatch, _his_ stopwatch, he realised as he searched for the stopwatch he usually carried. "Fuck! I'm calling the cops," he said, fumbling in his pockets.

"Want my phone?"

"You gotta be kidding me!" Jack exclaimed when the man handed him Jack's own phone. "I'm going to punch that perfect face."

"Thanks," the man winked at him. "Or you could simply give my wallet back. I need it to pay my rent."

Jack gaped at him for a while, then studied him, wondering when he had stolen those three items from him, and how he hadn't felt him. Even Owen, after years of practice, couldn't steal as professionally as this.

"Do you want to work for me?" Jack stuttered, mentally slapping himself for asking like this. But he needed that man on his team. They needed someone as gifted as him.

The man snorted. "My wallet, please," he said, gesturing at Jack to hand it.

Jack shook his head, holding the wallet tight in his pocket. "At least come see us."

"Us?"

"Working with people is funnier than alone."

The man rolled his eyes and Jack smiled.

"Then, I'll give you your wallet."

"Or I'm walking into a trap and you're going to steal everything from me or just kill me."

"I won't. And except for that bag which seems pretty empty, you have nothing else on you. I checked."

"I know, I could feel you. And who carries things on the back pockets?"

"Oh," Jack grinned. "That was just bonus for me."

"Groping me against my will?"

Jack's smile flattered and he frowned. "I... huh... Sorry. I didn't see it that way."

"Of course you didn't."

"Okay we clearly set off the wrong foot-"

"What foot?" the man interrupted. "We stole from each other. Just give me my wallet and leave."

"I really think you should come see us."

"Whatever."

"How about I leave you the address and you do what you want with it?"

"Sure," the man mumbled, but Jack knew he didn't want.

"My name's Jack, by the way."

The man studied him, then looked at the items he was still holding and sighed. "Ianto," he said.

"Ianto?" Jack repeated. "Lovely name! Just satisfy your curiosity and come see us. If you don't want to, you could always come for that drink you wanted," he winked at him.

Ianto looked away, pursed his lips, then finally nodded.

Jack chuckled and took the phone Ianto was handing him, writing down his number as well. He grinned as he gave it back to Ianto, along with his wallet and Ianto gave back everything he had stolen as well.

* * *

After a few weeks, Ianto had gone to Jack's flat. Well, to Jack's brother flat, he would learn later, but that didn't really matter. He hadn't meant to at first, or had just considered calling Jack on that offer of taking a drink, but he kept feeling lonely in his life after meeting Jack. His life wasn't exciting, he had no one to be home with, or even friends to spend good time with. It was just him and Myfanwy, a stray cat he had adopted. And she wasn't always fun. So Ianto had decided to give it a go and see what Jack had wanted to show him.

And Jack had been right. Working with people was funnier. Jack had cheerfully introduced his little team that consisted of Jack – obviously – who was leading their small group and mainly stealing cars, Owen who was stealing as well but also dealing in the streets, Tosh who hacked and dealt with anything informatics such as hiding their tracks when they sold stolen items online, and Gwen who was working for the police and giving the others leads and that Ianto met only later.

After that, he sometimes gave a hand to Jack for cars and helped him improve his discretion, he talked to Tosh a lot, finding a friend he had longed for, someone with the same sort of humour as him and the same references he had. Ianto had understood that Owen wasn't the most sympathetic man possible but he was a good person – as good as a thief and dealer could be – he just didn't show it that much in his daily life. As for Gwen, he didn't see her much, her contact with the group mainly virtual, but she seemed like a decent person.

Ianto told himself that he wasn't growing attached to the team, that flirting with Jack was innocent, and that he would soon go back to the life he'd been leading before, because having friends meant risking losing them, as he had already experienced. But he gradually grew fonder of their time together and realised he was going everyday and loving his time with them. He knew it was too late the day he offered his flat as their main base, which was bigger than Jack's brother's. And everyone accepted. At least, one of them owned the place, not a brother who could come back from his job in America sometimes and didn't know what Jack was doing.

* * *

 _I told you things will go quickly, I just wanted their first meeting and a vague idea of what they were doing... So I hope it's okay, I didn't feel like writing it in details :)_


	3. Chapter 3

"Thanks for what you're doing," Jack said one night, after they had moved everything to Ianto's.

He was playing with Myfanwy, letting her bite his hand gently, and annoying her at the same time, with ridiculous childish noises. Ianto smiled at the scene, feeling his stomach contract as he saw Jack happy with his cat. It had been a few months already and Ianto was now working full time for him, with him, and he wanted more than being his friend or co-worker or employee. Except that he didn't know how to do this, how to make him understand that he wanted him.

"It's nothing," Ianto sighed after a while.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"Yeah," Ianto shrugged. "I'm alone anyway, so I like it better with you here. And it will save me some time."

"It doesn't save me some time," Jack answered, smiling at him then looking down at the cat.

"You could... huh... sleep over, sometimes, if you want," Ianto stuttered, tightening his crossed arms against his chest as his heartbeat picked up.

"You only have one bedroom and your couch isn't that comfortable," Jack replied without looking.

"One bedroom is enough, I wouldn't mind someone with me," Ianto said quickly, briefly closing his eyes to pray that he didn't sound stupid. He probably did.

Jack stopped playing with Myfanwy and stared at him, frowning as he tried to fully understand what Ianto meant, probably.

Myfanwy got bored of that man who was just resting his hand on her belly – how dare he – and chewed his sleeve, her claws all out in his arm. Jack yelped and looked down, backing his hand off as the cat ran away quickly.

"That hurt," Jack pouted, looking at his hand. Then he got on his feet and studied Ianto again. "Okay," he eventually said.

"Okay?" Ianto repeated.

"Yeah."

"Can you stay tonight?" Ianto pushed, hoping his luck would continue.

"Sure," Jack shrugged. "But I don't sleep much at night."

Ianto wondered if there was something more to the sentence but nodded anyway, smiling. He went after Myfanwy to carry her in her room for the night, a closet he had entirely renovated in a cat heaven. Well, Myfanwy loved it, at least. He kissed her with a last pet on the head and closed the door, then lead Jack to his bedroom. They got ready for the night, Jack keeping the t-shirt he had been wearing and Ianto taking the one he usually wore at night, a star wars t-shirt who was a bit too small but that he couldn't bring himself to throw away, so he had kept it for the nights. He felt Jack's stare as he changed to the shirt and smiled inwardly when he turned, Jack not discreetly staring at him for a few seconds. An awkward silence followed, then they lay in the bed, each on their side for a while.

They eventually started talking, relaxing as they laughed in the dark room, until Ianto rolled on his side to hold Jack in his arms. They still talked, but less and less, until Ianto gathered enough courage to kiss Jack who responded eagerly.

* * *

Ianto sometimes wondered how they had gone from this one-night stand to secret casual shags, to regular shags, to something that looked like a couple but wasn't one. He didn't even know how to call their relationship, and it was fine because everyone knew, but nobody mentioned it, and everything seemed to go fine. Jack was a gifted partner in bed, and Ianto thought of him as his best friend – with whom he was banging, right. But on some days, just some days, Ianto caught himself wanting more.

It usually happened when they were lying in bed in the morning, before anyone was in. It was calm and Jack was a bit different, more relaxed than during the day. They talked and genuinely laughed during those moments and sometimes Ianto simply stared at Jack and wished for more.

Of course, he forgot as soon as they were out of his bedroom, but he longed for those stolen moments, alone with Jack.

And of course, John's presence wasn't helping him right now. He couldn't help hating the man, and thinking he looked good, which was unnerving because he knew that Jack had shared something with him, something strong if Ianto had to believe the stories they sometimes told. Even if it sounded simply like sex and fun, with illegal stuff mixed with it, but Ianto only shared sex with Jack as well, and he didn't want to be like John.

John Hart was another person in Jack's little team, but working as an independent contractor, if one had to put a name to what he was doing. Ianto had never met him – while he had been working with Jack for almost a year – and had never even heard about him, but suddenly he was there and Jack was behaving differently and kept making puns and innuendos.

All in all, Ianto was jealous. And maybe a bit afraid that things would change if that John guy stuck around. He didn't want him in his life and he didn't trust him. And he had no idea of what he was doing there. John was gone all day but once he got home – to Ianto's – he kept talking about casual things, or sex, and drugs. Ianto knew that he had asked Owen for drugs, and that was all he knew for certain.

* * *

Ianto sighed as Myfanwy jumped on the couch then walked on him, sniffing his knee then his face, before sitting on his laps, apparently satisfied. He shook his head, wondering why he was thinking back of how he had gotten there, with a man he didn't like sitting on his couch, and a man he liked a bit too much sitting on a chair in front of him, and two more people working on stolen items in the same room.

"What's Eye-candy's deal anyway?" John asked, putting his feet on the table, and Ianto cringed but turned his attention to his cat. "And is he available?"

"He's not interested," Jack answered quickly.

"I can speak for myself," Ianto said harshly, to both Jack and John.

"Easy Tiger," John laughed and sipped his beer. "What about you, Harkness? Still interested?"

"It's been a long time since our last... Whatever," Jack shrugged, glancing at Ianto.

"Some would say too long," John grinned and Ianto decided that he really didn't like that grin on this face.

"I've... actually got someone," Jack said quickly, and Ianto's head shot up.

Jack briefly looked at him, then away.

"You? You've got someone?" John snorted. "I don't believe you."

Ianto tried to do as if he wasn't listening to the conversation, looking at Myfanwy leaving her spot, apparently unhappy, and going near John. Ianto decided that yes, he was jealous, even of John petting his cat, so he carried her before she could sniff him and put her back on his laps, petting her the way he knew she liked.

"Yes," Jack shrugged again.

"So who is it then?"

"Nobody," Jack said, closing his eyes.

Ianto wondered whether Jack was thinking about him or seeing someone else. He hoped for the former but wouldn't be surprised by the latter. They had never talked about being exclusive, after all. Or even about being together.

"Oh come on, don't be a tease," John huffed. "Or you're lying just because you think that will stop me?"

"It's Ianto," Jack interrupted him as he was about to get up.

John slumped back into the couch and turned to Ianto who had frozen, his hand under Myfanwy's chin.

"Eye-candy there?" John said. "You and him?"

"Yes," Jack said. "And his name is Ianto."

"So you're shagging him?"

"We got it, John," Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Oh you talk! But he's more my style than yours," John pointed out to Jack who crossed his arms on his chest.

"I don't have a style."

"When did that happen?"

"I don't know, it just sort of... happened."

"Is he any better than me then?" John grinned. "I could think of a few things to do with both of you."

Ianto rolled his eyes again and opened his mouth to answer, but Owen put one hand on Ianto's shoulder and leaned on to pat Myfanwy on the head.

"He can hear what you're saying, and you're disgusting, Hart."

"That's John for you, sweet-arse."

"Stop calling me that way."

"I heard 'gifted hands' suited you as well..."

"You could at least pretend to be happy for them," Owen said, scratching the cat on the head and straightening.

"Well, good for you two," John muttered.

"I think they're cute," Tosh interrupted, having stopped typing at her computer to listen.

"Whatever."

"Well, you asked, _John_ ," Ianto smiled, underlining his Welsh accent on purpose.

John stared at him then at Jack.

"Are you sure you don't want another h-"

"No," Jack said, getting up. "Ianto stop teasing him, I told you your voice could do things to some people... That includes me, and him."

Ianto smiled innocently, his self-confidence kicking back in because the others seemed to be on his side.

* * *

After this conversation, John wasn't much in Ianto's flat. He kept coming at him – or anyone – when they were in the same room, but he clearly was jealous, the same way Ianto had been. Which comforted him. John was staying at Jack's brother's flat, with Jack, and Ianto had first disapproved of it, but as long as John didn't come bragging about shagging Jack, it meant they hadn't done anything. Which was Ianto's fear.

He tolerated John's presence, although he still had no idea of what he was doing in the team, and why he didn't know the existence of Gwen, the team having warned him not to mention her. So Ianto stayed silent and tried to be out when John was in his flat. It worked.

Then Ianto asked Tosh the right questions – unless it was the wrong ones – and she answered honestly.

* * *

 _Okay that's the end of the quick beginning ;) I hope nothing's too confusing, if so don't hesitate to ask._


	4. Chapter 4

Ianto stayed outside as much as he could after his discussion with Tosh. When she sent him a text to say that Jack was worried and coming, alone, he replied and asked her if they could go out, with Owen. When Ianto walked back to his flat, Owen was waving at Tosh in front of the building, and Ianto nodded to the man who chose to stay silent. Ianto tried not to run, but he did anyway, and opened his door to find Jack preventing Myfanwy from eating the wires. Ianto frowned, because she usually wasn't a problem, and carried her as she tried to run away.

"Sorry sweetheart, I'm calling it an early night," he said and locked her in her closet. She protested and tried to open the door, but quickly calmed.

Ianto was grateful for her not making a fuzz, and motioned Jack to sit in the couch.

"Is there a problem?" Ianto asked, slumping on the couch with two beers. Jack refused his.

"I don't know, is there?" Jack replied.

Ianto frowned then rolled his eyes. "Well, you tell me."

Jack opened his mouth, then shook his head. "This won't get us anywhere."

"Agreed," Ianto nodded, taking a long sip.

"Is it because I said we were together?" Jack asked, clearly unaware of what was wrong.

"No."

"Because I meant it. Sure we don't... er..." Jack stuttered. "Ianto, do you want to get out of all this some night? Like, a movie, a dinner... I mean, something, during when we wouldn't think of... this," he said, pointing at the computers.

Ianto stared. They hadn't really talked in a few days, and Jack was back to... What? "I... It sounds like a date." Ianto cleared his throat, looking away.

"Depends. Was it a yes?" Jack smiled, and Ianto almost fell for it.

Not that he didn't want it, of course it was a yes, but not right now. Not when he had questions and no answers and more questions.

"Were you planning on telling me that John was a hit man?" Ianto blurted out, not knowing what to answer otherwise.

Jack looked at him, his mouth opened, then he swallowed and frowned. "How do you know that?"

"Why didn't you tell?"

"I... don't know," Jack said, running his hand through his hair. "Look, Ianto... You've been here a long time, but... We don't only receive tips from Gwen, or she wouldn't be helping us. We're helping her catch people, sometimes. Big people. The type of people you don't mess around with, and more than once we had to deal with some pissed off assassins. It doesn't happen often," Jack added quickly, clearly nervous. "But it does. John's here to protect us from that."

"How?" Ianto managed to get out, not knowing what else to do or say.

"He kills them before they can kill us. That's why Gwen doesn't know John, and John doesn't know Gwen. He hates police, and she would disapprove, but she can't protect us the way John does."

Ianto stared at his hands, fully taking in the information, then he jumped on his feet. "Do you mean that someone is targetting us, right now?" he whispered, as if it would change something, but was clearly angry.

"No," Jack said, standing to put a hand on Ianto's arm. "Okay, maybe," he rectified when Ianto glared at him.

"And you let me into this?!" Ianto snapped this time, freeing himself from Jack's hand. "I let you use _my_ flat but you weren't even honest this whole time?!"

"Ianto, calm down," Jack said.

Ianto scoffed, and turned to walk away, but Jack grabbed his arms and pulled, pressing their bodies together. He tried to get away, but Jack could be stronger than him, and he held on Ianto so tightly that Ianto yelped.

"You're hurting me," he said, pleading him to let go, but Jack was staring at the window.

"Don't move," he said. "John told me they were close. I'd avoid the windows if I were you."

"Jack..." Ianto begged, his eyes filling with tears as his arms hurt him.

Jack looked at him and finally let go, his expression softening. "I'm sorry!"

"I didn't sign up for this," Ianto sighed, slumping back in the couch and rubbing his aching arms.

"I know, I'm sorry, but..."

"What?" Ianto said, looking up at Jack who was avoiding his stare.

"But you were good," Jack admitted, sitting back next to him. "And I fancied you a bit. And before I knew it, we were all here, and you and I... were fine. So I buried some things under the rug and hoped it wouldn't catch up with me, with us. That was stupid. I'm sorry."

"Are you?" Ianto said, pressing his hand against his arm as the pain started again.

"What? Sorry? Yes. Not to have stolen that stupid wallet that day, or to be here, or with you, but because I dragged you into this without telling everything. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"It's okay," Ianto said, stopping his useless massages even though it still hurt a lot.

Jack sighed and looked miserable, Ianto had to give him that, at least. He really was sorry.

"What's a life without taking risk anyway?" Ianto smiled, nudging Jack.

It wasn't that he liked being lied to – or used, one might say – but he knew he was too deep in it, already falling for Jack, to back off now. And he liked his life, with Jack and the team. And, to be honest, Ianto wasn't about to start a fight when he could possibly die in a few minutes, with a wrong movement.

"What are we supposed to do?" he asked after a while, ignoring Jack's eyes full of admiration and fondness.

Jack shook his head and took his phone out. "Wait for John's text."

"What if they come by the door?"

"John's rather talented," Jack shrugged.

"But if..."

"It's trapped," Jack admitted in a sigh. "If someone tries to come in, there's an alarm."

"How is that helping?" Ianto asked, blinking a few times.

"Makes them think the police is coming."

"Oh." Ianto nodded. "That's clever."

"John knows what he's doing," Jack said, looking around.

"What if I'm hungry?" Ianto finally asked.

"Here," Jack said, taking sandwiches and water bottle from the bag Ianto hadn't realised was on the table.

"It sounds like you're used to it," Ianto said, his voice flat.

Jack shrugged, leaving something unsaid, but Ianto didn't push, noticing the sadness in his eyes.

"It isn't quite the dinner I pictured when you mentioned one," Ianto chuckled as he took one of the sandwiches, smiling when he saw it was his favourite.

"Was that a yes?" Jack asked, straightening on the couch, hope painted on his face.

"Yes," Ianto said.

"Great," Jack grinned, looking at Ianto's sandwich, as if not daring to do or say something.

Ianto put back the food on the table, not hungry, and sighed. "What are we supposed to do in the mean time? Can't we help John?"

"No, he works alone," Jack shook his head. "And you don't want to see him working. I have a cards game if you want."

Ianto stared in silence, and Jack kept his hand on his pocket, but didn't take the cards out, waiting for a sign that he could go. Ianto didn't say anything but leaned on to kiss Jack.

Ianto had missed Jack. It was as simple as this. He had avoided him for too long, and now they were supposed to wait while people wanted to kill them, and Ianto wanted to kiss Jack. Of course, he guessed no one was actually waiting for them to walk in front the window, but he understood that it was a possibility.

And he didn't want to die, he realised as they were kissing more and more eagerly. Not that before that he didn't want to live, but he realised, in that moment, that the idea of dying terrified him. He had found something good and he was afraid of leaving it, he was afraid of the people that would be left behind. He was afraid of dying.

Jack pushed back only when he was lying underneath Ianto, his chest bare and Ianto working on his pants.

"Wait," he breathed out, holding Ianto's hands.

He stopped when he spotted something on Ianto's skin, but Ianto didn't know what and he leaned on for another kiss, but Jack shook his head.

"Are you sure about this, _now_? We could..." Jack stopped when Ianto rocked his hips against him. "Die," he moaned to finish his sentence.

"Precisely," Ianto breathed against his ear, and Jack let his hands go. "And you said not to worry," Ianto added, finally winning his fight against Jack's pants, and Jack had to kiss that triumphal grin away from Ianto's face, his protests long forgotten.

* * *

 _Oh my god, I am so terribly sorry I haven't updated sooner. it's entirely my fault, because I started publishing at the worst time, I had a lot of things to do in real life and that includes dealing with a lack of motivation in... pretty much anything, but especially writing. So I couldn't write anything and I totally forgot to update. I'll try to be more regular, especially now that I'm back to writing. Also, re-reading this chapter, I wonder if that's really where I wanted to take this story. But let's say it was._

 _As usual, don't hesitate to leave a comment, that would be very nice :D (_ _And would motivate my lazy brain, probably... Oops.)_


	5. Chapter 5

Jack wondered if he had made the right choice as he paid for the pizzas and walked back to the flat. A few days had passed, John had said he was injured but had done the job well, so he would be out of the country quickly, and they hadn't seen him. Ianto and Jack hadn't talked about John, or what John did in the group again, and that was what bothered Jack.

Not that he wanted a confrontation with Ianto, but he knew the man now. He knew how he was. Ianto shrugged his way out of serious discussions that could turn into fights but he never forgot and was able to break one day and tell things from months before just because he was upset. Jack didn't mind, because he was a bit like that as well – avoiding fights at least, not reminding old bitterness between them – and it sounded okay.

But at the same time he wondered if sometimes they shouldn't just fight and forget the thing. But Jack was being selfish and a coward on that one, too afraid to lose Ianto to say anything. Yes, maybe they would fight then make out and everything will be fine, and they wouldn't have a big fight all at once – they'd had only one like this – that ended up by not talking for a few days until the others got tired and they eventually even forgot what the initial fight was about. But it could very well end up with Ianto noticing that Jack was too full of flaws, and wanting to end things. Which Jack didn't want. Because as much as he had told himself not to fall for that young, handsome face, he knew he felt more than simply sexual attraction, and that was why he had told John he was with Ianto, why he had asked Ianto out on a proper date, why he had no idea where to take him and kept wondering if it was a good idea.

What if he got hurt by loving Ianto? Or worse, what if he hurt Ianto?

But Jack was an optimistic person – well, he tried to be. At least he appeared as an optimistic guy. Okay, he wasn't the most pessimistic person in the world, so he had to try before condemning their relationship.

He still had to find a nice thing to do for their date, he thought as he entered the flat, gave the pizzas to a very craving Owen, and kissed Ianto.

* * *

It took Jack a couple more days to think about a date. And he didn't find one. Ianto texted him to come for that promised date, so Jack went to his flat. As he walked, he stopped in front of a shop, his eyes wandering on the suits, then his own lame shirt and jeans with his usual jacket. Maybe he could have tried something a bit better for a date. He went in and bought something, quickly making his way to the flat again after. He stopped once more in front of a flower shop this time, and looked at the flowers, wondering whether he should buy some for Ianto.

He eventually grinned, checked around and took one of the roses, cautiously tucking it under his jacket and leaving, hiding his face from the camera of the shop next to it and crossing the road right after. He ran to catch up on the minutes he had lost, and panted once in front of Ianto's flat, flattening his badly ironed shirt and trying to take a deep breath, only to cough.

He eventually knocked and smiled when Ianto opened, Myfanwy in his arms. He handed the flower with an innocent smile and Ianto took it. Once the door was locked behind them, Ianto stopped moving while his cat sniffed the flower.

"That's a gift, Mivvy," he said with the cute childish voice he often took with animals. "Hey don't eat it," he then exclaimed and put the cat down, straightening to look at Jack and smile. "You know what yellow roses mean?"

Jack frowned, then shrugged. "Sun? I don't know, it looked good."

"It's treason," Ianto chuckled.

"Oh," Jack said. "I didn't mean-"

"It's okay," Ianto laughed this time. "I don't really care, but my sister liked this kind of thing. It's good, Jack, don't worry."

Jack nodded and kissed Ianto on the cheek, then took his jacket off and hung it, frowning at Ianto who was staring at him. "You okay?" he asked, suddenly worried.

"Mh?" Ianto said, looking up at him then his lips and back at his chest. "That's new," he eventually whispered, as if talking louder would change something, nodding to what Jack was wearing.

"Like it?" Jack grinned, pulling the braces in front of him and letting go. He winced at the pain but didn't say anything.

Ianto laughed and stepped closer. "Suits you," he said and pecked Jack on the lips, then took his hand.

It wasn't the nice restaurant Jack had hoped to take Ianto to, or the quiet walk he had thought Ianto would like... No, it was just the two of them, with Ianto having cooked something nice, and Myfanwy silently wandering around them. And it was better than anything Jack had planned, quiet and so good. He could make Ianto laugh and he could take his hand, and they could talk about their lives – stealing, stories of how they had gotten away from the police – freely, enjoying their time alone. It was nice, more than nice, and Jack realised how lucky he was to have Ianto in his life.

It had been good before Ianto came along, but a bit sad. Jack had Owen and Tosh, and even Gwen sometimes, of course, but they weren't Ianto. Ianto was fun and young and he loved life more than any of them, even though he had no idea of it. He was so full of life, and Jack'd had trouble remembering how good life could be, sometimes. Now Ianto was here, and it was easier.

Of course he wasn't perfect, nobody and nothing was, but he was more than good enough for what Jack thought he deserved, and it was all he needed.

* * *

His doubts came rushing in when Ianto was snoring lightly next to him after the good evening. They were lying on the bed and Ianto was hugging him from behind, his arm resting under his own. Jack was staring at the wall, then looked down, at Ianto's arm, and with the light from outside, he was able to see the bruise on it. Jack knew what it was. He knew who had done it. It was himself, when he had held Ianto's arms so tightly and with so much strength. He hadn't even realised he had been hurting him, and as always, Ianto had said nothing.

It had disappeared on his other arm, but Jack could still see it on this one, and it scared him. He wasn't a violent man, he had and would never hurt someone he cared about voluntarily, but he still had hurt Ianto physically. Sure, he had been afraid for both their lives, but it wasn't an excuse.

He felt terrible about himself and after a couple of hours of self-loathing, he decided to deal it the way Ianto did. Ignoring the pain and the questions seemed to be a good way to get away with it. Maybe it would come back at his face, but for now it was fine, he told himself.

* * *

 _Okay I'm so sorry I didn't update any sooner, but I was having serious doubts about this fic and the ideas I had. I ended up not changing a thing because I had no other idea, so I hope you'll like it. Also, the true reason for the lack of update is probably that I binge-watched Friends in two weeks and totally give up anything else that wasn't university stuff._

 _Oh and I felt like I had to say it: naturally, stealing is bad, you shouldn't do that, and so is killing, this is all an AU and I do not agree with this way of living. It's just a different setting that puts the Torchwood team on different situation than the canon can offer :)_


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